System and method for modular building cubes spine

Abstract

An umbilical corridor structure includes a plurality of hollow elongate corridor segments having a predetermined length. Each of the plurality of corridor segments includes a first end flange couplable to a complementary first end flange of an adjacent one of the plurality of corridor segments, a side flange couplable to a complementary end flange of an adjacent modular cube structure, and a plurality of service conduits extending from the end flange of the corridor segment to at least the side flange of the corridor segment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An umbilical corridor structure comprising:
 a plurality of hollow elongate modular corridor segments having a predetermined length, each of said plurality of modular corridor segments comprising:
 a first end flange couplable to a complementary first end flange of an adjacent one of said plurality of corridor segments; 
 a side flange couplable to a complementary end flange of an adjacent modular cube structure; and 
 a plurality of service conduits extending from said first end flange of said corridor segment to at least the side flange of said corridor segment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of hollow elongate modular corridor segments comprises a floor member and a roof member extending the predetermined length. 
     
     
         3 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 1 , wherein, said plurality of corridor segments are couplable to each other end-to-end or side-by-side. 
     
     
         4 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of service conduits include at least one of an electrical supply conduit, a control and instrumentation signal conduit, a plumbing conduit, a sewer/waste liquid conduit, a heating conduit, a ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) conduit, and a security and surveillance signal conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said corridor segments include a second end flange opposite said first end flange, and wherein said plurality of service conduits extend between said first end flange and said second end flange. 
     
     
         6 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 5 , wherein said first and second end flanges each includes a vertical flange member comprising a structural column member and a cube corner assembly fixedly coupled to at least one end of said structural column member. 
     
     
         7 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 6 , wherein said cube corner assembly is formed into a unitary cube-shaped structural member. 
     
     
         8 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 6 , wherein said cube corner assembly comprises a first structural plate and a complementary second structural plate spaced-apart face-to-face and a plurality of structural members extending between said first and second structural plates. 
     
     
         9 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 8 , wherein said first structural plate and said second structural plate each comprise at least one orifice therethrough, said at least one orifice aligned with respect to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The umbilical corridor structure of  claim 8 , wherein at least some of the plurality of structural members comprise at least one orifice configured to receive a mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         11 . A method of coupling modular structures to form modular complexes, said method comprising:
 providing a first flange of a first modular corridor segment, the first flange comprising a plurality of flange members coupled together using one or more cube corner assemblies;   providing a second flange of a second modular corridor segment, the second flange complementary to the first flange, the second flange comprising a plurality of flange members coupled together using one or more cube corner assemblies;   coupling the first flange and the second flange in a flange face-to-flange face orientation; and   coupling a plurality of service conduits extending from the first flange of the first modular corridor segment to at least the second flange of the second modular corridor segment.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more cube corner assemblies comprise a coupling aperture and wherein coupling the first flange and the second flange in a flange face-to-flange face orientation comprises coupling the first flange and the second flange in a flange face-to-flange face orientation using mechanical fasteners through complementary coupling apertures. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein coupling the first flange and the second flange in a flange face-to-flange face orientation comprises coupling the first flange and the second flange in a flange face-to-flange face orientation using a weldment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein coupling a plurality of service conduits comprises coupling at least one of an electrical supply conduit, a control and instrumentation signal conduit, a plumbing conduit, a sewer/waste liquid conduit, a heating conduit, a ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) conduit, and a security and surveillance signal conduit between the first flange of the first modular corridor segment to at least the second flange of the second modular corridor segment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the modular corridor segment comprises a side flange couplable to a complementary end flange of an adjacent modular cube structure, said method further comprises coupling a plurality of service conduits extending from the end flange of the corridor segment to at least the side flange of the corridor segment. 
     
     
         16 . A cube corner assembly comprising:
 a first structural plate comprising a first orifice extending therethrough;   a complementary second structural plate comprising a second orifice extending therethrough, said second orifice aligned with said first orifice, said second structural plate spaced-apart face-to-face from said first structural plate; and   a plurality of structural members extending between said first structural plate and said second structural plate.   
     
     
         17 . The cube corner assembly of  claim 16 , wherein a first and a second end flange each includes a vertical flange member comprising a structural column member and a cube corner assembly fixedly coupled to at least one end of said structural column member. 
     
     
         18 . The cube corner assembly of  claim 16 , wherein said cube corner assembly is formed as a unitary cube-shaped structural member. 
     
     
         19 . The cube corner assembly of  claim 16 , wherein an end flange or a side flange comprises a frame comprising a pair of vertical flange members, a pair of horizontal flange members, joined by a plurality of cube corner assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . The cube corner assembly of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of said plurality of structural members comprise at least one orifice configured to receive a mechanical fastener.